Begin your
personal statement with your own voice
, not a quote from a famous person. … ‘It might be tempting to start your personal statement with an epigraph but, often, beginning with your own words is best and more likely to be original,’ says Dr Helen Moggridge, a lecturer in geography at the University of Sheffield.
Should I include quotes in my personal statement?
DON’T write your statement with the goal of telling schools what you think they want to hear. Sincerity is important and recognizable.
DON’T use quotes
or give a title to your statement.
How do you start a personal statement with a quote?
Start
with why you chose it
, then try and summarise this in one or two sentences. Be original and refer to personal experiences as a way to draw attention. Avoid overused opening sentences, quotes and clichés like ‘when I was young…’ They want to know about you now, not your childhood or Shakespeare!
Can you use a quote in a statement of purpose?
You can start your essay with a quote or anecdote that fits the context, and explains your motivation to study the programme they offer. Avoid clichéd, over-used quotes, which will make your writing read like a school essay.
Is it bad to start a personal statement with a quote?
Keep your paper original and valid, leave the quotes in their books and movies.
Quotes almost always do more harm than good when they are used in your Personal Statement
. They might trigger a plagiarism checker, take up valuable space, and are so cliche they make your writing less credible with their very presence.
What does a good personal statement look like?
Tell the reader why you’re applying – include your ambitions, as well as what interests you about the subject, the course provider, and higher education.
Think about what makes you suitable
– this could be relevant experience, skills, or achievements you’ve gained from education, work, or other activities.
What should you avoid in a personal statement?
- Whining. Don’t whine in your essay! …
- Someone else is the hero. …
- Reads like a resume. …
- Lack of focus. …
- Leaves out personal growth. …
- Overcomplicated language. …
- Incorrect grammar or spelling.
What makes a personal statement stand out?
A personal statement should
detail both academic achievements and extracurricular activities in a 75/25 split, with a focus on education
. This will show that you’re a well-rounded person. Activities that you enjoy outside of the classroom can be used to support your subject choice.
What should you include in a personal statement?
Your personal statement should include a
brief overview of who you are
, your strengths and any work experience and/or education you’ve got. Be sure to include skills you’ve gained, such as time management, customer service, teamwork, computer skills etc.
How many words is 47 lines?
Dealing with the personal statement character limit
Regardless, the ‘word’ limit is 47 lines of text, or 4000 characters. This equates to (roughly)
500 words
.
What are some good sentence starters?
Some words are indeed notable for being good sentence starters. The list will include the following:
although, I would like to, first, meanwhile, therefore, subsequently, while, I would like to, moreover, in general, in addition, furthermore
.
What are the best inspirational quotes?
- “Try not to become a man of success, but rather become a man of value.” – Albert Einstein.
- “A winner is a dreamer who never gives up.” – Nelson Mandela.
- “If you don’t have a competitive advantage, don’t compete.” – Jack Welch.
How many words should a personal statement be?
Dr Adrian Bell, Admissions Tutor, Engineering, UMIST Page 2 2 Your Personal Statement should be
between 350 and 500 words in length
and contain a number of paragraphs that link together in a logical, well-written style.
How do you quote a statement of purpose?
- Use quotes from leaders. …
- Utilize a humorous narrative. …
- Be precise and rely on zero build-up. …
- Share a personal anecdote from your life. …
- Nostalgia-inducing Tale. …
- Break the fourth wall.
How do you start a statement of purpose?
- Part 1: Introduce yourself, your interests and motivations. …
- Part 2: Summarize your undergraduate and previous graduate career. …
- Part 3: Discuss the relevance of your recent and current activities. …
- Part 4: Elaborate on your academic interests.
What is the format of statement of purpose?
Unless otherwise specified, a standard statement of purpose is
ideally two pages long
, uses a maximum of 12 point font and is double spaced in normal margins. Hence, depending on the font type, a standard SOP would be about 800 to 1000 words. There should be no use of colourful text or images anywhere.
